Fear Has A Red Nose
| Star Traks: The Original Series | |
| Episode name | Fear Has A Red Nose |
|---|---|
| Season | |
| Episode number | |
| Writer(s) | Alan Decker |
| Year | 2373 |
| Stardate | Unknown |
| Chronology | |
| Previous in series | Commanding Presence [TRK] |
| Next in series | Hostage Crisis [TRK] |
| Previous in timeline | Close To Home [WAY] |
| Next in timeline | Beaming There [TRK] |
After unwittingly setting off an ancient security system, Lieutenant Patricia Hawkins is targeted for death by an entity determined to use her worst fear to destroy her. And, believe me, death by clown just isn't pretty.
Summary
While exploring ruins on the planet Guulamia, Lieutenant Patricia Hawkins unwittingly activates an ancient security system. This system scans Hawkins, determines her worst fear (clowns), then prepares to destroy her with it. Hawkins returns to the USS Secondprize before the security entity in the system can strike against her. Not one to give up, the Security Entity, taking the form of a giant clown, attacks the Secondprize in space. Jaroch comes up with a plan to defeat the clown, which is severely weakened as a result. The Secondprize leaves orbit, and the security entity heads off into space to search for another way to fulfill its programming and destroy Hawkins.
Two weeks later, the security entity has found what it needs to accomplish its goal. The Secondprize finds itself approached by a small Borg cube. Upon making contact, Captain Alexander Rydell and the crew discover that these Borg have been altered. In short, they're Borg clowns, and they want Hawkins. Realizing that the Borg will destroy the Secondprize unless she hands herself over to them, Hawkins decides to leave in a shuttle. Commander Travis Dillon volunteers to go with her. Their shuttle is grabbed in a Borg tractor beam and taken away with the Secondprize in pursuit.
The Borg take the shuttle to Gamma Psi Four, where they have set up a circus. While the bridge crew tries to observe what is happening, they find themselves pestered by the Secondprize's inventory officer, Lieutenant Andrew Baxter, who is attempting to inventory the bridge. They lock Baxter in the conference room and gas him into unconsciousness. With that dealt with, Jaroch beams down to assist Hawkins and Dillon. The Borg force Hawkins to participate in an act in their circus, assimilating her to become Sunshine Of Borg in process. Jaroch realizes that the only way the Borg will release Hawkins is if she dies. He and Dillon allow the act to complete. Sunshine is killed. Dillon races to her side as Jaroch retrieves the shuttle. Using the shuttle, Jaroch smashes the tent, then he and Dillon blast the security entity into oblivion once it appears, satisfied that it has completed its mission. Dr. Aldridge is able to revive and de-Borgify Hawkins.
Featuring
- Captain Alexander Rydell
- Commander Travis Dillon
- Lieutenant Commander Jaroch
- Lieutenant Patricia Hawkins
- Lieutenant Emily Sullivan
- Dr. Elizabeth Aldridge
Also Featuring
Lieutenant Andrew Baxter
Author's Comments
This story had a very simple origin. Back before "Star Trek: First Contact" and "Star Trek: Voyager" made the Borg all slimy, they used to go around with very pale, white faces. Throw on a red nose and wig, and poof! Instant clown. The image just made me laugh, so I built a story around it.
I wrote "Fear Has A Red Nose" during the Summer of 1995 shortly after I met Anthony Butler while working in the Inventory office at Salisbury State University (now Salisbury University). Since he'd taken an interest in Star Traks, I threw him into the story as the Secondprize's inventory officer. Little did I know that this would lead to Star Traks: The Vexed Generation.